St John the Baptist &

St Theresa of the Infant Jesus Catholic parishes of Westerham and Biggin Hill

Newsletter - 5 July 2020

14th Sunday of Ordinary time

Dear brothers and sisters

In this Sunday’s Gospel we see the intimacy of the relationship between Father and Son

who has been entrusted with all things by the Father. It is Jesus who reveals the Father and

who offers us a life in the intimacy of the Blessed Trinity. We can be encouraged by the

words that conclude the Gospel:

‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder

my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for

your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

Let us during this week rest in the Lord and learn from Him as we give thanks for the

restoration of public Masses and for the joy that this brings.

I must also inform you that Sister Maria Carla (of the Trinitarian Sisters) died on Friday

afternoon. + May she rest in peace. I know that she was a big part of Biggin Hill parish

when the nuns were resident and is known to many of you.

I am also very pleased to welcome Bishop Patrick Lynch who will celebrate Mass at Biggin

Hill and Father Michael Ezenwammadu who will celebrate the Masses for us at Westerham.

Important information - Restoration of Public Masses

I am not going to repeat all the information that has been circulated by email but just

remind you of the key points.

1. The Sunday obligation to attend Mass is still suspended so no one should feel they

have to attend. There are plenty of live streamed Masses via Church Services TV,

from our Cathedral at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, from Walsingham and from EWTN. If you

need further information, please email me.

2. There are very restricted numbers of people who can be safely accommodated in

both Churches. In Biggin Hill, with the use of the hall a maximum of 60 people will be

able to be accommodated. In Westerham, depending on the size of household

groups attending between 24 and 48 people can be accommodated. You may wish to

consider availing of a weekday Mass in another parish.

Once the maximum numbers are reached no one else will be allowed into the

churches. I would ask you to co-operate with this and apologise in advance if we

reach capacity and you are unable to gain entry.

3. It is compulsory to wear a face mask whilst attending Mass. Please bring your own

or use a disposal one available at the entrance of each church. Young children, and

those of primary school age are not required to wear a face covering.

4. As part of the NHS Test and Track system you are required to provide contact details

on the card available at the entrance of each church. If possible, bring the emailed

sheet with you pre-completed.

5. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND MASS IF YOU ARE ILL, HAVE ANY COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

(HIGH TEMPERATURE, NEW CONTINUOUS COUGH OR A LOSS OR CHANGE TO

TASTE AND SMELL) OR ANYONE YOU LIVE WITH HAS THOSE SYMPTOMS OR HAS

TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

6. Collection receptacles will be positioned at the back of each church. Please give

generously as the lockdown has had a severe impact on our weekly income.

7. Finally, please leave immediately after Mass and do not congregate at the entrance.

Mass times

Saturday 18.00 at Westerham Sunday 09.00 at Biggin Hill 11.00 at Westerham Sunday 5 July – Rosary in the Orchard at 15.00. Please bring your own seat if you

require one.

Church Opening Times and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament Tuesday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament - Biggin Hill 15.30 to 17.30 Wednesday Westerham open – 14.00 to 16.00 Thursday Biggin Hill open – 15.30 to 17.30 Friday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament - Westerham 14.00 to 16.00 Saturday Biggin Hill open - 15.30 to 17.30 Sunday Westerham open -14.00 to 16.00 If you are able to assist with stewarding either during the week or at a Sunday Mass please do email or phone me. We are in need of more volunteers so the work does not always fall to the same people. Thank you, in anticipation. The orchard at Westerham is also open at all times where you can pray at the lovely Lourdes Grotto. It is a very tranquil spot where you will find both rest and peace.

Safeguarding Unfortunately, Jim Wakeley, Safeguarding Officer for Biggin Hill has had an accident and therefore cannot currently carry out his safeguarding duties. Please pray for him. Any safeguarding concerns should therefore be directed to the Southwark Safeguarding team at safeguarding@rcaos.org.uk Westerham: Joshua Copeland M: 0785 255 4822

Obtaining support If you need support or wish to talk please call me – 07955213133 or email me rolandgooding@rcaos.org.uk A priest is available should you need one: Westerham – Fr David Gibbons - Sevenoaks 01732 454177 Biggin Hill – Fr Stephen Wymer - 020 8650 3390 Our Parish Secretary, Vagilija Bielskyte can be contacted by email E: westerham@rcaos.org.uk/bigginhill@rcaos.org.uk

Finally I am delighted to have two contributions to share from our seminarian, Frazer Bellfield who is training for the Sacred Priesthood at St John’s Seminary Wonersh. One piece is about his life as a seminarian and the other a reflection on St Maria Goretti, Virgin, Martyr whose feast it is on Monday. This feast is particularly poignant for me as Monday is the third anniversary of my Ordination to the Diaconate and her example of forgiveness and that of her mother which Frazer explains is exemplary witness to the unconditional love of God. The Collect for Mass on her feast reminds us to pray that we too may be firm in obeying God’s commandments: O God, author of innocence and lover of chastity, who bestowed the grace of martyrdom on your handmaid, the Virgin Saint Maria Goretti, in her youth, grant, we pray, through her intercession that, as you gave her the crown for her steadfastness, so we too, may be firm in obeying your commandments. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

I hope that you will be able to join us for the Rosary on Sunday afternoon as this will provide us with a particular moment to pray together for our two parishes, all our parishioners, Canon Ivan and Claudia especially during this difficult time, and to pray also for our Archbishop and his auxiliaries and for the Catholic Church in our Archdiocese.

Assuring you of my prayers. Yours in Christ, Deacon Roland 4 July 2020

What is a Seminarian?

Greetings brothers and sisters from the parishes of Biggin Hill and Westerham,

As a native of Biggin Hill I am no stranger to most of you, and over the past year I have enjoyed getting to

know the parishioners of Westerham, both parishes have been very supportive to their “trainee”.

Although my family are living in Biggin Hill, usually I am away at St. John’s Seminary, located in Wonersh, a

little village just outside the great metropolis of Guildford. Our seminary was founded in 1891 and still

continues to form our future Priests. I am about to enter my third year of formation for the sacred

Priesthood. The seminary serves a number of Dioceses, mainly from the south of England and in total we

are about 25 students, 12 being from our Archdiocese of Southwark. We sadly don’t have numbers of

years gone by, but don’t let anyone tell you we have no vocations…because we do! It is of course always

important to foster and pray for more vocations.

During the course of the academic year we are “let out” on one Sunday every half term, this is so that we

can visit our home parishes and assist at the Holy Eucharist, which Vatican II beautifully calls “the source

and summit” of our lives as Catholic Christians. It has, of course been extremely difficult for us as Catholics

to be without our greatest source of nourishment, the Holy Mass, during these difficult times of Covid 19.

You may know that training for the Priesthood is a process lasting six years. A man who enters the

seminary does not possess all the answers. In fact, many more questions will arise during time spent in

seminary formation! Seminarians come from all walks of life, previous educational experiences, family

backgrounds, and parishes. They bring different talents, insights, and experiences to their time in

formation. Immediately before entering the seminary I was working in the airline industry, where I worked

for both Easyjet and British Airways in a customer service capacity at Gatwick Airport. This was a fantastic

period in my life, where I got to travel a little and also meet many wonderful people. One of my most

moving and treasured memories of that time was checking in an elderly Italian lady who came from

Pietrelcina (the same town as St. Padre Pio). I noticed this in her passport and mentioned Padre Pio to her,

the lady instantly became emotional and took out of her purse some rosary beads saying “Padre Pio

blessed this rosary for me many years ago when he was alive; I always knew that one day I would meet

somebody I was supposed to give them to”.

Seminarians live in community. This means they pray together, work together, take their meals together,

and study together. While the seminary is a place where individual men go to discern what the Lord is

asking of them, ultimately as priests they will belong to a fraternity. The seeds of this brotherhood and

fraternity are sown during their time in seminary formation. The first two years in seminary are dedicated

to studying philosophy, or as it is often called “the study of wisdom”, this is where we learn to answer

certain deeper questions and delve into the thoughts and writings of many great thinkers such as Aristotle

and Aquinas. Afterwards we move onto Theology, when we focus on understanding and being able to pass

on the teachings of the Catholic Church, it is important to understand before we are able to teach. During

the fourth year in formation we take a year out of the seminary to live in a parish and see what it is really

like to be in action, this is when we learn many of the practical skills that must go hand in hand with

theory.

We are also privileged to be able to take part in many different pastoral placements during our time at

seminary. I have been able to join in with an Alcoholics Anonymous program (as a spectator!) and also to

work in a local Catholic primary school. There are also chances to work in hospitals and prisons, there was

even a chance to spend the summer in a New York parish this year….needless to say I am much happier

spending my summer in Biggin Hill and Westerham.

I would like to thank all of you for your continued support for me during my time of formation for the

Priesthood. It means so much to me to know that you are praying for me and supporting me with your

many kindnesses. I am looking forward to seeing you all again as public Masses commence. I pray every

day for the people of our parishes and will continue to do so.

With gratitude and prayers,

Frazer Bellfield.

Here is myself (in the blue coat and scarf) and some of my brother seminarians with Archbishop John.

A reflection on St. Maria Goretti by Seminarian Frazer

Forgiveness can often be hard; sometimes we may even think impossible, yet the true story of Maria’s

Christ like ability to forgive does not end there. After many years in prison, Alessandro Serenelli

experienced a complete conversion after seeing Maria in a dream. On the very day he was released from

prison, more than 30 years later, Serenelli went straight to see Maria’s mother Assunta. It just happened

that as the repented murderer reached the house, Mrs Goretti now an elderly lady was just going to the

church for Mass. Assunta recognised Serenelli at once. Surely every mother would find it extremely difficult

to come face to face with the man who had murdered her daughter. “Do you recognise me?” asked

Serenelli to which Assunta responded “My son, not only do I recognise you but I love you and I forgive

you!” The two then proceeded to the Church where they received Holy Communion side by side. In 1950

Pope Pius XII declared Maria Goretti as a Saint and during the Canonisation ceremony Maria’s mother

Assunta stood side by side with Maria’s repented murderer. To this day Mrs Goretti is the only mother in

the history of the Catholic Church to have been present at the canonisation of their child.

Assunta Goretti is the elderly lady here with her hands

clasped in prayer before the saintly relics of her daughter.

The relics of St. Maria Goretti are enshrined under the

altar in the Basilica of Our Lady of all Graces in Nettuno,

Italy.

Below: Assunta Goretti and Alessandro Serenelli

On Monday 6th July we commemorate the martyr St. Maria Goretti.

Some of you may have heard of her before, but very often this heroic

young woman’s story is all but forgotten.

Maria was born into a very poor, yet deeply pious Italian family in 1890.

When she was 12 years old in 1902, Maria was brutally murdered by a

young man named Alessandro Serenelli. After several hours of great pain

and suffering Maria’s last words, to the astonishment of everyone

present were, “I forgive Alessandro and wish him to be in Heaven with

me”.

All of us know that it can be hard to

forgive at times, yet may St. Maria’s

heroic example of true Christian

witness, and that of her mother,

help us to live our lives in a more

loving and Christ like way.

Christ is always waiting

to forgive us!